SEVEN FOOTPRINTS TO SATAN (1929)
One of the few surviving films of the Danish director Benjamin Christensen, and the only surviving member of the triumverate of old dark house horror-comedies he made in Hollywood at the end of the 1920s.
A young playboy who dreams of having some excitement and adventure before he settles down gets an object lesson in being careful what he prays for when an emerald inherited by his girlfriend becomes the target of a cult of satanists, and the two of them are whisked away to a cavernous mansion that is the scene of orgies and human sacrifice, and that houses mysterious women, disfigured men, Gollum’s little brother, a witch, a dwarf, a werewolf, a gorilla, and Loretta Young.
Oh. And Satan. Let’s not forget Satan.
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[I hope to have some house-keeping done over the next few days. Watch this space.]
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#1 by El Santo on May 1, 2010 - 10:23 am
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About every three years, Seven Footprints to Satan turns up on the “month after next” page of the Turner Classic Movies online schedule. It invariably vanishes by the time “the month after next” becomes “this month,” however. One might take this to mean that even they can’t manage to gain access to a non-sucking print.
#2 by lyzard on May 1, 2010 - 3:16 pm
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Apparently the first time they scheduled it, when they withdrew it they announced it was because the print wasn’t up to broadcast standards. Unless they then got access to a different print, why would they bother tormenting people by rescheduling?
Perhaps trying to extract a Danish print of an American film from an Italian archive is too horrifying a prospect; but when all is said and done it is a Warner Bros. film (well, First National; I don’t know if that makes a difference). They’ve done well on their sound horrors, but maybe they can’t be bothered with a silent film needing full restoration. On the other hand, the fact that it *is* Warners probably precludes Criterion or Kino from getting involved.
#3 by JessicaR on May 1, 2010 - 4:14 pm
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ot/ Lyz, what’s your current email address? It wont let me send you a message through the one listed on aycyas.
#4 by JessicaR on May 1, 2010 - 4:17 pm
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ot/ nevermind, I typed it in incorrectly the first time because I’m bright like that.
#5 by Mr. Rational on May 1, 2010 - 4:48 pm
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I remember reading the book. It was a bit stupid, but a fairly fast read…I never got bored. This movie sounds almost NOTHING like the book I read. The staircase, for example, comes into play much sooner, and has far more to do with the story. I side with Merritt — he had every right to cry.